Page 198 of The Grump Next Door
He grins. That real one that only I get. “See you at the altar, wife.”
“Not wife yet.”
“Semantics.” He backs toward the door. “Don’t let George eat anything else.”
“Don’t let Mason give a speech.”
“He’s my best man. He has to give a speech.”
“Tell him to keep it PG.”
“I told him to keep it legal. Best I could do.”
He disappears. I turn back to the mirror, assess the damage. The veil’s toast, but honestly?
Kind of perfect.
Nothing about us has ever been pristine. Why start now?
Chapter Forty
Big Wife Energy
Dean
Mason’s crying.
“Dude,” I say. “Pull it together.”
“I can’t help it.” He dabs his eyes with Ivy’s handkerchief. “You’re getting married. You. Mr. ‘I Don’t Need Anyone.’ Mr. ‘Emotions Are For Weak People.’”
“I never said that.”
“You implied it. Heavily. For years.”
He’s not wrong. This is quite the one-eighty for me.
Nate appears with shots. “Emotional support tequila?”
“It’s two in the afternoon,” I point out.
“It’s your wedding day.” He distributes glasses. “Normal rules don’t apply.”
“I’m not doing shots before—”
“To Dean,” Mason interrupts, raising his glass. “Who finally pulled his head out of his ass.”
“Poetic,” I mutter.
“And to Poppy,” Nate adds, “for being brave enough to take him on.”
“Saint Poppy,” Mason agrees. “Patron saint of lost causes.”
“I hate both of you.”
“No you don’t.” Nate clinks his glass against mine. “You love us. Look at you, having feelings.”
I do the shot and immediately regret it. “That’s paint thinner.”
